Dogs to recover after being freed from sweltering car by Halton police in Oakville

Dogs to recover after being freed from sweltering car by Halton police in Oakville

After two dogs nearly died after being left in a parked car near Marlborough Court Sunday, the Oakville & Milton Humane Society (OMHS) is urging people to leave pets at home — not ever in vehicles — on hot summer days.

Around 3 p.m. Halton police responded to a call about two Shih Tzu-type dogs left in a vehicle and which appeared to be in distress.

“The dogs were removed by police officers as they were showing severe signs of heat stress and exhaustion. They were vomiting, there was a lack of responsiveness,” said Brenda Dushko, OMHS spokesperson.

“They were in bad shape.”

Dushko said OMHS employees immediately took the dogs to a clinic for emergency care.

Both dogs are expected to make a full recovery.

The OMHS is continuing to investigate this incident.

Dushko said the woman who was caring for the dogs attended a nearby festival and lost track of time.

The vehicle’s windows were cracked open, but it did little alleviate the heat inside, she said.

“It is so important for people to know that when it is hot outside, when it is sunny, even if it doesn’t seem that hot, leave your dogs at home,” said Dushko.

“You can easily lose track of time and it can have devastating results. Home is the best place for them, somewhere cool where they can have access to water.”

This was not the only incident involving dogs being left in a car over the weekend as Halton police reported two other canines being rescued from vehicles in Oakville on Sunday. No details were available as yet.

Dushko said it doesn’t take long for a car to go from uncomfortable to lethal on a hot day.

She said if the temperature is 20 C outside, in 10 minutes it will be 27 C inside a vehicle and 46 C within 60 minutes.

Anyone who leaves a pet in a car on a hot day could be charged with causing distress to an animal under the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (OSPCA).

Punishment for those found guilty in these cases can range from large fines to time in prison.